NEWTOWNARDS '16 BEST IN SHOW
Taking centre stage in the best in show ring at Newtownards was Sally Burns – she and husband Sean are no strangers to the main ring having many top wins over the years with their Toy and Standard Poodles, indeed Sean piloted their Standard to BIS at Celtic Winners in March. From the ten finalists, Sally’s choice for BIS fell to the three-year-old Kerry Blue Terrier Edbrios Silverado, jointly owned by Sheila and Jim Corbin, Philip O’Brien and his wife Jarka and taken to the top by Philip. G3 at Fermoy international and G2 the next day at South Tipperary, here he had won the breed and group under Gertrud Hagström of the world famous Merrymac Irish Terriers in Sweden. Reserve BIS, after winning the group under Alec Douglas, was Colm Beattie’s American Cocker Spaniel Boduf Hope for Branstock, who is still two weeks off his first birthday, and had taken G3 at Portadown in April as a baby.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 BEST IN SHOW
Kerry Blue Terrier Edbrios Silverado, jointly owned by Sheila and Jim Corbin, Philip O’Brien and his wife Jarka and handled by Philip pictured with judge, Sally Burns.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 BEST IN SHOW
Kerry Blue Terrier Edbrios Silverado, jointly owned by Sheila and Jim Corbin, Philip O’Brien and his wife Jarka and handled by Philip pictured with judge, Sally Burns.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 BEST IN SHOW
Kerry Blue Terrier Edbrios Silverado, jointly owned by Sheila and Jim Corbin, Philip O’Brien and his wife Jarka and handled by Philip pictured with judge, Sally Burns.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 BEST BABY PUPPY IN SHOW
Best baby puppy in show under Sally Burns was Akita, Maria Weafer, Matthew Bostock and Janet Armstrong’s Mamoru The Force Awakens with Ruthdale, just four months old, with RBBPIS taken by the five-month-old Dobermann, Dione Fitzsimons’ Sant Kreal Hugo Boss Iz Fitzkin.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 PUPPY STAKES
Topping the puppy stakes entry of 41 hopefuls under Ger Philpott, and thus qualifying for the Irish Pup of the Year next Easter, was Christine Bastable’s Miniature Smooth Dachshund, 11-month-old Dachsclass Crepe Sucre Ama Chrishane. ‘Demelza’, is a Spanish import. Laura Huston handled her Cocker Spaniel Hustonia Fernando to take the runner-up spot, ‘Mason’ being ten months old.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 CHAMPION STAKES
Stakes judge at Newtownards was Ger Philpot, secretary of Dun Laoghaire Ch show, and his Champion Stakes winner was the well known Siberian Husky Ch, GB, Dutch & Int Ch Bedarra Cold Paws Warm Heart for Leorient, ‘Flint’ owned by Jimmy Duggan and handled as always by his wife Anita Foley-Duggan. Runner-up was Tom and Annie Mervyn’s young BIS-winning German Shorthaired Pointer Sh Ch Tomanipoint Celtic Knight; ‘Rory’, a multiple group winner.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 VETERAN STAKES
Ger’s veteran stakes winner at Newtownards was the Kaninchen Wire Dachshund, Marion, Tim and son Ian Finney’s Ch & Int Ch Nice One from Vitoraz to Gulliagh, ‘Nachos’ almost nine years old and handled by Ian, with last year’s runner-up on the Royal Canin/Irish Canine Press Veteran of the Year Leaderboard, Pamela and Ryan Hunter’s Whippet Ch, GB & Int Ch Mossbawnhill It’s All About Me, second.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 BRACE STAKES
The Italian Spinoni Hastabbi Tropicano at Sosteli and Sh Ch & Int Sh Ch Netis Rock With You at Sosteli were piloted by owner Lyndsey Belcher to win the brace stakes under Ger Philpott, who gave the runner-up placing to the Smooth Dachshunds Jaegervision Fashionista and Jaegervision Farao owned by Jana Aadamsoo.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 GROUP 1
Group 1 was judged by Marie Magill and she sent on the RBIS-winning Border Collie, David and Morag Connolly’s Nahrof Blurred Lines at Huntly, with Karen and James Gilliland’s Australian Shepherd bitch Ch Scallywag My Blue Heaven in Castleavery runner-up. ‘Dixie’, a CC winner with two RCCs, was top bitch last year, and was also a POTY qualifier, being top puppy at IKC Celtic Winners ’14.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 GROUP 2
Hungarian judge Atilla Czeglédi was ring centre for group 2, where his winner was the Miniature Schnauzer, Paul Scanlon and Ashling Connolly’s Ch Nujax Johnny Cash. ‘Cash’ a BIS winner, was top group 2 on the Gain Petfood/Irish Canine Press Leaderboard last year. Keith Sheehan’s Smooth St Bernard Parleshan Ivan, made up to a champion on the day and handled by Sinead Taggart, took a first group placing in second.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 GROUP 3
The BIS-winning Kerry Blue, Philip O’Brien and wife Jarka Poulova and Jim and Sheila Corbin’s Edbrios Silverado was sent on from group 3 by Gertrud Hagström, whose second choice was ‘Stanley’, Ross Delmar and breeder Ewa Lunden’s multiple group-winning Smooth Fox Terrier Ch, Sw, Nor, Dan & Int Ch Residensets Stand-In.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 GROUP 4
The Dachshunds of group 4 were assessed by Attila Czeglédi, and his winner was Julie Midgley’s Miniature Smooth Bensden Tuscan Rose, ‘Jasmine’ over on one of her many visits from GB. Runner-up was the Mini Long Smartdac Rising Phoenix, ‘Phoenix’ owned and bred by Mark McDonnell, and no stranger to top honours.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 GROUP 5
Bob Browne (senior) chose the Alaskan Malamute, Darren and Elaine Walker’s Ch Lueldar The Witch Is Back, for his group 5 winner, a first group win for ‘Witchie’, with the runner-up spot to the Akita, Conor Cahill and Mary Kilroy’s Roycon Raising Hell; ‘Zeno’ crowned Pup of the Year at Easter.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 GROUP 6
Ben Reynolds-Frost was over from England and was in charge of group 6 where he further added to the scores of group wins for the Basset Hound Ch, GB & Int Ch Knockogue Arthurs Legacy, owned by Barry O’Neill, this partnership now a legend in Irish show circles with over 85 group wins and eight BIS. G2 was Carole Dodds and Stuart Pearson’s Dalmatian Ch Kelevra Classic Cliché.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 GROUP 7
Diane Stewart-Ritchie, well known for her top winning Gwendariff Irish Setters, was running the rule over the group 7 BOBs, and her winner was the English Setter, Aidan McKiernan’s Richecca Breaking Dawn Over Bushbane. Runner-up was the Weimaraner, Cartiona Caffrey’s Quick Silver Hugel.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 GROUP 8
Alec Douglas of the Talard Labrador Retrievers judged group 8 and his winner was the RBIS-winning American Cocker Spaniel, Colm Beattie’s Boduf Hope for Branstock, ‘Spero’, with in second place Brian and Liam Moran’s Golden Retriever Sh Ch Shinehill Summer Jazz of Woodmore.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 GROUP 9
June Gould judged group 9 and winning here was the Maltese Ch Benatone Rings Of Gold, owned by Susan White and Sarah Jackson, who finished the day BIS4, with, in second place, Sean Martin’s Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Ch Glencross De Ja Vu.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 GROUP 10
From the Netherlands came Regina Tromp Pruijn, and she was ring centre for the sighthounds of group 10, giving the big rosette to Felicity Thompson’s Greyhound, French import Ch & Dutch Ch Isla at Barnesmore Ad Honores. Felicity’s sister Sarah handled her Whippet Barnesmore Miss Havisham to take second place.

NEWTOWNARDS '16
Before judging, all the judges for the day lined up for a photocall in front of the tent which serves as a backdrop for the BIS ring and where they can relax after they have finished their breeds.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 JUNIOR HANDLING
15 - 17 & Best Overall
Sally Burns’ winner of the 15-17 years junior handling class was Danielle Ritchie-Smith handling a Whippet, whom she also has handled to great success in the show ring. Danielle was Sally’s choice for best overall.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 JUNIOR HANDLING
13 - 14
Topping the 12-13 years junior handling class under Sally Burns was Sarah Cushley handling a Saluki, whom she also handled to fourth place in group 10.

NEWTOWNARDS '16 JUNIOR HANDLING
10 - 12
Her ten-12 years class was won by Shannon McBride, and points here will count towards qualifications for qualifying for the Irish handler of the Year in December.

NEWTOWNARDS '16
View of Scrabo Tower from the showground.